Store-service apparatus



(No. Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet '1'.

J. H GOODFELLOW. STORE SERVICE APPARATUS.

No. 541,742.- Patented June 25, 1895.

m: uonms PETERS (20.. mow-Mme" wumnawm n. z;

WU n No. 541,742. Patented June 25, 1895.

JOHN H. GOODFELLOW, on LOWELL, ASSIGNOR TO THE LAMSoN coNSoLI- DATED'STORE SERVIGE COMPANY, or BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

STORE-SERVICE APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of LettersPateut No. 541,742, dated June 25, 1895.

Application filed September 22,1893. 7 Serial1\To. 48 6,178. (No man.)

To all whom it may concern.- v

Be it known that I, JOHN H. GooDFnLLow,

of Lowell, county of Middlesex, Stateof Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Store-Service Apparatus; and I do hereby declare that the fol-' by mechanisms hereinafter shown,describ ed and claimed.

My invention consists of certain novel features, arrangements and combinations hereinafter described and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a side viewjof the apparatus, showing the salesmaus and cashiers stations, the carrier being shown at the cashiers station. Fig. 2 is a plan view taken at the cashiers station. Fig. 3 is a side view partly in section of the cashiers station, taken on the opposite side to that shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a plan view of the apparatus at the cashiers station. Figs. 5 and 6 are detailed views of the latch hereinafter described. Fig. 7 is a sectional view of the metallic not by which the way is secured to the horn. Fig. 8 is a plan view of an adjustable strip hereinafter referred to. Fig. 9 is a detailed sectional view showing the tube embracing the trackwire and propelling-wire at the center of the way. Fig. 10 is a modification. of the construction shown in Fig. 9 by substituting rings for the tube shown in the previous figure. Fig. 11 is a'detailed sectional view showing the tube embracing the track-wire and propel ling wire at the center of the way with the propelling-wire below the track. Fig. 12 is a detached View showing the latch out of position.

Like letters of reference refer to like parts throughout the several views.

A As the propelling mechanism and the supports for the same are identical at the salesmans and cashiers end a description of the cashiers end will answer for both.

The carrier M travels on the Way A being propelled thereon by the propelling wire B which acts against the rear upper wheels of the carrier and propels it forward by the progressive separation of the propelling wire from the track wire. A tube G made of light metal is located midway between the salesmans and cashiers end, and its length is deter mined 'in accordance with the length of the way; the object of the tube being to prevent the sagging of the propelling wire and confine it in close proximity to the track, and also to allow a free movement ot'tlie propelling wire through'it. As shown in Fig. 10 a series of rings or coiled wire could be substituted for the tube, and located at certain distances apart in order to occupy the same space as would be occupied by the tube. In order to maintain these rings in their proper places it will be necessary to secure them to the way i or main track, and, if desired, the tube could be secured to the way; the functions of both constructions, however, being the same.

The propelling wire B extends from the tube 0 upwardly at each end and over the pulley D mounted in the sleeve D adjustable on the standard D by an adjustable screw D. This sleeve has on each side a hinged joint through which passes a suitable pin. The forward half of the sleeve supports the pulley and in the rear half the adjustable screw 'D is located.

To the lower end of the standard D is secured a bracket E provided with guy rods E for-holding it firmly in position. In the lower end of the bracket E is provided a cavity in which is located a small ball E having a pole E through its center. At right angles to this hole a needle pointed screw E passes through said ball and through a link of the chain By this arrangement the propelling chain may be taken up at will. Thischain B, which is a continuation of the propelling wire B, be-.

fore reachingthe ball E contacts with the having a handle F. This lever is pivoted at IOO F to the horn G and has on the right hand side an upward and outward eXtensi nJF which, at its forward end, has a latch F pivotally secured thereto by a pin 1?. In the inner side of the leverand the latch is provided a recess F in which a spring F is placed and which. tends normally to hold the latch in the position shown in Fig. i.

The carrier M on reaching the oashiers end comes in contact with the latch F which slips over the projection M on the carrier and holds said carrier at cashiers end against rebound. Without this provision of catching and holdin g the carrier the salesman, by operating the f lever at his end of the way, could cause the propelling line B at the cashiers end to act on the carrier M and return it to his station, but-by this latching arrangement the salesman cannot cause the propelling line at the cashiers end to throw the carrier back to the salesmans end.. It will be observed that when the salesman moves the propelling lever at his end it causes the latch at the cashiers end to move into a position where it will lock the carrier against movement, so that he cannot cause it to return to him; but when the cashier operates the lever at his end the latch moves in the arc of a circle and permits the movement of the carrier when the propelling line acts against the carrier to throwit to the other end of the way. WVhenthe cashier has finished with the carrier he operates the lever F at his end and returns the carrier to the salesmans station, the latch passing upwardly and away from the projection M of the carrier. By this arrangement it will be seen that means are provided for preventing the salesman from returning the carrier at his end without the knowledge of thecashier. If at any time it should be desired to place this latchout of operation a screw F can be passed through the recess F inthe lever and latch and by screwing it up the latch will be drawn inward toward the lever and thereby held out of contact with the projection M of the carrier as shown in Fig. 12. This screw F when not in use is for convenience secured on the top of the lever 13 as shown in Figs. 3 and4.

An elastic F is secured to the extension F of the lever F at one end andat the other end to the standard D The object of this elastic is to take up any slack of the propelling wire, after the lever has been released, by forcing down the lower end of said lever. A modification of this arrangement is shown in the spring F secured to the under side of the bracket E. This spring bears on the screw F and tends to force the lever downwardly and thereby take up the slack of the propelling wire B. This screw F is for the purpose of setting the upper position of the lower end of the lever F so as to prevent the lower end of the bracket E and the lever from coming in contact.

The horn G and the bracket E are pivotally secured at E. This pivotal arrangement forms avertical adjustment of theway, but,

. A extends. and passes through a small aperture Gin the metallicn ut G2 which is located in the aperture G of the horn. This nut is provided with a series of grooves G around its. outer periphery, the object of which is to cause this metallic nut to tie itself within the aperture G of the born when cast therein.

In connecting up the line the end of the wire wayA is passed through this metallic nut and bent back upon itself as seen in Fig.

3, the free end entering into the large aperture G and thusforms a sufficient spring tie to retain the end of the wire.

Rearwardly of the metallic nut, and on, the under side of the horn, is locateda strip H which is pivoted to the horn at the point J by a pin J passing through the horn andthe lip J of said strip. At the rear end of this strip there is a saucer-shaped cavity J1, and directly above on the under side of thehorn a corresponding cavity .1. In these cavities a rubber cushion J is located, whichis adapted to yield to the pressure of the wheels of the carrier as it is received on the horn, and thus steadies the carrier vertically, the cushion taking up the slight upward movement of the strip as the carrier runs on the horn.

J representsa rubber cushion secured to the under side of the horn and against it the carrier abuts in traveling upon the horn.

Between the upper part of the hornand the strip H thereare two longitudinal lugs K, K, the former of which is adapted to re.- ceive upon it the loop of a bifurcated spring K The free ends of this spring pass through apertures in the lug K, which allow a free movement of the terminating ends ol:' the spring, but ofler suflicient resistance to the incoming carrier to take. up its momentum and hold it in proper position against rebound.

The operation briefiyis asfollows: The carrier being in position for use theclerk, by pulling down on theleverli of the propelling line B, will first pull the carrier oif the horn G and then pull and push it forward by the progressive separation of the propeller'and track until it passes uppn the opposite horn, where the carrier will bear down on the propeller line B and force it into the gnoov'eL formed in theupper side of each horn and will compress the bifurcatedspring K within the limits of theihorn and prevent the rebOUIld of the carrier, as the latch F pass es over the lug M and prevents the return of the carrier, as shown in the left handlfig. 1. The return of e c r by he shier m he sa esman is h a e n psrat maaby p essin down on the lever F the propeller line B will force h r r o h ereon o. he Wayland it w l t own. oaths. propeller wire B.

at the salesmans end and force it into the groove L formed in the upper side of the horn, and its momentum will be taken up by the bifurcated spring K rubber cushion J and the adjustable" strip H.

By varying the position of the adjustable sleeve D a greater or less throw can be given to the carrier by the propelling line B. If the sleeve D is adjusted belowthe position shown in the drawingsa less throw will be given to the carrier than in the position shown in the drawings, but if the said sleeve is arranged above the position shown in the drawings a greater throw is given to the carrier; so that,

by means of this adjustable sleeve D a greateror less throw can be given to the carrier by the propelling line. If the sleeve D is lowered the slack of the chain is takenup by the screw E in the pulley E If this said sleeve is raised an additional amount of chain can be had by readjusting the screw E in the ball E Although I have not shown the latch device at the salesmans end for holding the carrier, yet, if it should be desired to use the same, it could be readily applied as at the cashie'rs end, but it is not usually required at the salesmans end, it being applied at the cashiers end for the especial purpose of preventing the salesman, after he has propelled the carrier with cash toward the cashier, from returning it to himself and changing the money and cash slip and then again returning it to the cashierwithout the cashier knowing of the operation by the salesman. 1

I do not limit myself to the exact arrangements and constructions shown as the same may be varied without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having thus ascertained the nature and set forth the construction of my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. In a store service apparatus, a way, a carrier adapted to travel on said way, a horn located at the end of said way, a nut secured to said way and having an opening through which the end of the way is passed and firmly held therein by being bent upon itself, substantially as and. for the purpose set forth.

2. ha store service apparatus, a way, a carrier adapted to travel thereon, a horn secured to the end of the way and having a longitudinal slot therein, lugs arranged in said slot, and a spring held in place in the slot by the lugs and extending normally beyond the sides of the horn.

3. In a store service apparatus, a way, a carrier adapted to travel thereon, a horn secured to the end of the way and having a loncarrier adapted to travel on said way, a horn carrying a nut having an opening through which the end of the way is passed, said opening being larger at one end than at the other,

the larger opening being adapted to receive the free end of the way, after the same has been bent upon itself, and thereby hold said way securely in place, substantially as set forth. 7

5. In a store service apparatus, a way, a carrier adapted to travel on said way, a propeller extending the length of the way and adapted to engage with said carrier and propel it along said way by the progressive separation of the propeller and the way, an operating lever carrying a pulley around which passes the propelling line, and means for engaging the free end of the said line to hold it under proper tension substantially as set forth. i

6. In a store service apparatus, a way, a carrier adapted to travel on said way, a propeller adapted to engage with said carrier and propel it along said way by the progressive separation of the propeller and the way, an operating lever carrying a pulley around which passes the propelling line, a ball carried by the supporting bracket and having an opening through which passes the free end of the said line, and a pin for engaging the said free end to hold the said line under proper tension substantially as set forth. 7. In a store service apparatus, a way, a carrier adapted to travel thereon, a horn secured to the end of the way having a longitudinal slot therein, lugs in the said slot, and a spring held in place in said slot by the lugs, and extending normally beyond the sides of the horn, said spring comprising a single piece of wire, having straight portions lying within the sides of the horn and inwardly curved portions, extending beyond the sides of the horn.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses, on this 7th day of September, 1893.

JOHN H. GOODFELLOVV. lVitnesses:

AUGUSTIN I. DAVIS, MILLARD F. DAVIS- 

